Boy Scouts councils to merge

MARLBOROUGH — Hoping to cut costs and expand programming, a local scouting organization that serves families west of Boston will merge with another group in southeastern Massachusetts.

The Knox Trail Council announced Wednesday that it will consolidate its operations with the Old Colony Council. The two groups together serve more than 11,000 children and teens in 62 communities.

In an announcement, the councils said the merger will make them more efficient, allowing the new combined council to allocate more money and staff time to programs.

“We’re thrilled that our volunteer leaders voted to move forward with the merger plans of these two healthy councils,” Knox Trail Council President Sherry Bowden said in the announcement. “This creates a firm foundation for scouting to thrive in our region for years to come.”

Previously located in Framingham, the Knox Trail Council is now headquartered at 2 Mount Royal Ave. in Marlborough. It serves 21 communities in the region bounded by Newton, Stow, Westborough and Mendon, operating as the umbrella group for dozens of local troops and Cub Scout packs.

About 18 months ago, the council assembled a strategic planning committee to study its options to remain viable in the future. Bowden said the committee unanimously recommended a merger with Old Colony, which operates in 41 communities from Bellingham to Hull to Plymouth.

While participation in scouting has dropped nationwide in recent years, Bowden said the Knox Trail Council has seen relatively stable revenue of about $1.8 million per year. At the same time, expenses have grown, requiring the counsel to cut staff positions.

Bowden said the organization will save money on expenses such as audits and the salary for its scout executive by merging with Old Colony.

"Really the point of that merger would be to spread the fixed costs that we had,” she said, “so that we could funnel more of those dollars to direct support for the programming.”

The Knox Trail Council’s executive position is currently vacant. Bowden said the executive serving Old Colony plans to retire. A new board comprised of equal membership from the two councils will fill the position in the future, she said.

Members of the Knox Trail Council voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to approve the consolidation plan, which will be finalized at board meetings in April. The groups plan to keep their existing offices in Marlborough and Canton, though they expect to move to a central location in the future.

The organization will also operate under a new name. Bowden said the councils will hold a contest this summer to select the title.

The new council will serve 332 scouting units, many of which are based at elementary schools, churches and other community centers. They include some co-ed programs for teens. Bowden said scouts will continue to participate in their local chapters.

"The only thing that really has been discussed over the last couple of months is with a bigger council territory, there will be some [council] meetings where people will have to drive farther to get to them,” she said.

Members of the council will gain access to three campsites spread throughout their combined territory, including Camp Squanto in Plymouth, Camp Resolute in Bolton and the Nobscot Reservation in Sudbury and Framingham.

Measuring more than 400 acres, the reservation is one of the largest privately held pieces of land inside of Interstate 495. It offers some cabins and tent sites, and is due to expand with the construction of a new 6,000-square-foot training center and roughly 5,700-square-foot service center.

Bowden said plans for the site will likely be reviewed after the merger.

"At this point, probably all plans have to be reviewed by the new board," she said.

Jim Haddadin can be reached at 617-863-7144 or jhaddadin@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter: @JimHaddadin.